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Article: Okinawa sees little change after 25 years: Reversion aside, U.S. bases dominate.(World)(Briefing/Pacific Rim)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- November 21, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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OKINAWA CITY, Japan - Bassist Taki Furugen still electrifies the audience at a bar on Gate 2 Street in Koza, outside the fence around Kadena Air Base, as he did during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Furugen, an amiable man with long hair, recalls how he used to be able to tell - while performing, surrounded by U.S. servicemen - which ones had duty orders sending them to Vietnam.
"They were stoned. They looked like they were throwing themselves into beer. They knew they might die tomorrow," he said at Live House Jet, the bar where he plays on Gate 2 Street.
"Some of them were too scared and fled the base, hiding in a local house. They were just ...